


Waves

by ShirosRedKnight (SweetFanfics)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, beach baby shiro, collab fic, shiro x rest zine entry, the gang is all here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-29
Updated: 2018-03-29
Packaged: 2019-04-14 15:52:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14139369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetFanfics/pseuds/ShirosRedKnight
Summary: Shiro exhaled, kicking his feet in the cool water. This was the definition of the word 'peaceful.' Closing his eyes with a smile, Shiro found himself imagining himself transported back to Earth. He was 16 again, having snuck off to the beach in the early hours of the morning to catch some choice waves.





	Waves

**Author's Note:**

> I was very fortunate because I got to be picked to be part of the Shiro x Rest zine, which was such a fantastic lil zine let me tell y'all. Such gorgeous Shiro pieces <3 And I was twice lucky cuz I got to collab with synne for my piece :) I'm very glad I can share this now!
> 
> [Check out the beautiful piece synne made here!!](https://twitter.com/synnesai/status/979461351104921601)

A wave rolled under his board on its way towards the beach, making him bob gently in place. Shiro exhaled, kicking his feet in the cool water. This was the definition of the word 'peaceful.' Closing his eyes with a smile, Shiro found himself imagining himself transported back to Earth. 

 

He was 16 again, having snuck off to the beach in the early hours of the morning to catch some choice waves. His muscled ached with effort and he knew he’d be tired for the rest of the day but it was worth it. The rising heat was a gentle reminder that the he ought to leave and get ready for school. But the serenity gained from staying in the water was a hard temptation to overcome. 

 

Overheard the strange alien birds with too many wings and eyes chirped at each other. If Shiro stretched his imagination hard enough, he could imagine them to be one of the local variety of birds who’d live in their little town by the beach. 

 

He was trying to pinpoint which exact species these alien birds sounded like when a softer bird call caught his ear. It was gentle warble, dipping low in the middle before bouncing back up. Keith. It was the only bird call he knew how to do decently without sounding like a disney bird (a comparison that made him scowl unhappily every time).

 

With a touch of regret, Shiro let go of his fantasy, lowered his head, and opened his eyes. Deep purple foam and lavender water was washing past Keith, rolling high enough to soak into his rolled up pants. 

 

The younger man cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “Coming back yet?”

 

Shiro turned to look behind him before deciding he’d had enough for now. So he shot Keith a thumbs up before paddling back to the crystalline white beach. Once he was within ear shot, Keith asked, “Had fun?”

 

“You bet,” Shiro beamed back, slipping off the board and onto his feet. The shimmering sand sunk underneath his weight. It had the same consistency as any beach but felt infinitely smoother. Shiro wriggled his toes before grabbing his board. “What’d you do?”

 

“Little bit of this, little bit of that.” Keith smirked as they walked out of the water. “Mostly kept fielding questions about you.”

 

Pausing mid-way through slicking his hair back with a wet hand, Shiro blinked at him as he asked, “What kind of questions?”

 

“How’d you know how to surf, since when had you been surfing, how you were so good. That kinda stuff.” Keith’s laugh is soft enough to be washed away by a splash of water. “I don’t think they ever saw you as a beach baby.”

 

Amused, Shiro asked, “What’d they have me pegged for them?”

 

“A total space nerd.”

 

“Well, to be fair, that’s not wrong either.” They share a quick laugh before Shiro glances around the beach. “Where are the others?”

 

With a large smirk, Keith gestures for him to follow. So Shiro tucks his board properly under his arm and follows his friend around the soft curve of the island. In the sheltered cove, Hunk is appears to be trying to teach the rest of their group how to surf. Shiro stares at the boards everyone’s standing on before asking, “Did they...?”

 

“Use the same replicator program you used to make your board? Yeah.” Keith tucks both of his hands away in his back pockets, watching Hunk flit from person to person as he nitpicks on their form. 

 

Shiro watches with silent but rising amusement when Hunk lets out an exasperated sound before walking over to the Princess to fix her form with a stern expression. 

 

“How long have they been at this?”

 

“Most of the day. They got tired of waiting for you to come back to shore.”

 

“And how’d they rope Hunk into doing this?”

 

“You know Hunk. They begged him for help and once he started...”

 

Coran strikes a jaunty pose before saying something that has Hunk’s eyebrow twitching in agitation. Whatever he says however, has Coran turning his nose up in the air. The next reply leads to Hunk grabbing his board before he points at the water in an obvious challenge. Pidge, Lance, and Allura exchange a look before asking something which makes Hunk sigh and nod.

 

With a collective whoop, the trio dashes into the water with their boards. Shiro watches them paddle out into the water.

 

“They’re going to wipe out  _ so  _ bad,” Shiro can’t help but point out.

 

“Mmhmm,” Keith agrees.

 

“Bet you an Altean dollar they’ll be in the water in a minute.”

 

“Bet you five it’ll be less than 30 seconds.”

 

Laughing, Shiro says, “It’s a bet.”

 

Neither of them win given that Pidge and Lance go down within ten seconds of each other before the half minute mark, Allura in another fifteen seconds after, and Coran lasts another few seconds before he’s pinwheeling his arms and falling into the water with an almighty smack. Hunk is in the water by this point, laughing even as he encourages them to try again. 

 

“I’m going to go in too,” Keith says, pausing a moment before asking Shiro. “You coming?” 

 

But Shiro shakes his head, pushing one end of his board into the soft sand before sitting down. “Maybe in a little while.”

 

Keith hesitates a moment before nodding, moving to grab his board and running into the water. 

 

Time passes slowly as he observes his group of friends. Where Pidge, Lance, Allura, and Coran achieve a marginal level of success, Hunk and Keith take to the waves like they never stopped surfing. The pair exchanges high fives and grins as they paddle back to shore, and let out identical yells as the others tackle them into the shallow water. 

 

A water fight erupts immediately. Everyone's yells and shouts mingle together into a happy chorus that makes Shiro grin. With his chin on his hand, Shiro shakes with laughter as Hunk, Lance, and Allura team up against Keith and Pidge. The pair runs around trying to avoid as many splashes as they can but they’re outnumbered.

 

As one the pair look at Shiro, look at each other, nod, and run towards him. Shiro immediately holds his hands up, gesturing for them to stop but they ignore his gently resistance. They each grab a wrist and pull him to his feet.

 

“Guys, no!”

 

“Come on Shiro! We  _ need _ you!” Pidge insists, pulling him into the water. “Voltron’s arms and body against legs and the Princess!”

 

Keith’s grin is bright as a jewel. “We’ve got them beat!” 

 

Helpless, Shiro lets himself be pulled into the fray with a warning, “You’re not using me for cover though.”

 

“Deal. Now come on!” Pidge urges, “Let’s make ‘em pay!”

 


End file.
